HomeAway is the world leader in vacation rentals with over 1 million listings. We offer the largest selection of properties for any travel occasion and every budget. We're committed to helping families and friends find a perfect vacation rental to create unforgettable travel experiences together.

Overview

Details

Property

house

Sleeps

5

Bedrooms

2

Bathrooms

1

Minimum Stay

2 nights

Description

Ouirgane House Rental Photos and Description

Sleeps 4/5 (2 bedrooms)

On the edge of the Toubkal National Park, a gorgeous restored and super stylish Berber house in its own large plant filled garden at the end of a private path, private yet not at all remote. You will be looked after like kings (should you wish) by my neighbours with whom I have arranged room service to include delicious home cooked Berber recipes using home organically grown ingredients.

A short stroll will plunge you in fields and on rural paths, where a centuries old life style still carries on. The views as you wander further up the village are stunning. Groves of almond, olive and pomegranate are interspersed with general small holdings, with blossom and scent filling the air for a significant period of the year.

A perfect base to explore the region, where history and nature combine to enrich your trip, or to simply relax.

Swimming is available in hotel pools or at L'Oliveraie, 3 km away, essentially a day club with a pool set in an olive grove where lunch is available in a lovely setting, and at other hotels too on the doorstep, such as La Roseraie.

General Information : Marrakech Airport 37 miles (1 hour by taxi). Taxis can be arranged in advance for 500 Dh one way. This is much cheaper than at the airport. Car hire is available at the airport. The journey is for the most part spectacular as you head southwards towards the Atlas and then wind your way up to Ouirgane, which lies at 1000 metres above sea level. Buses to Marrakech or shared taxis go through the village daily. Private taxis can easily be arranged in house to go to Marrakech for day trips or otherwise. A guide (and mules) are also available by arrangement there at short notice, the cost for a guide is 100 Dh for 4 hours or 160 Dh for 7 hours.

Day trips can be arranged in house to all these locations and many more, including Oukaimeden. Treks can also be arranged as well as and when.

Food and Dining: Delicious home cooked Berber recipes using home grown ingredients are available delivered to the house. Full board: 150 DHS per Adult, 80 DHS per child over 5. Half board: 100 DHS and 60 DHS. Restaurants are further available within the main hotels, as well as bars. La Roseraie, a luxury hotel, is a wonderful place to have an aperitif in the afternoon and make the most of its stunning setting. It is approximately 5 minutes walk away. Meals can be had there in their palatial salon or by the pool and gardens in the day. More developed amenities and banks are available in Asni or Tahanaoute, both within a half hour drive. Asni, the main village in the area, leads to Imlil, which lies at the end of a stunning road, which also passes Richard Branson's luxurious Kasbah Tamadot, the drive is stunning.

Climate in Ouirgane: The climate in Ouirgane is ideal from early Spring to late Autumn. The Summers are much more gentle than in Marrakech and the plains, and although it can get hot in July and August, it is rare for it to become uncomfortable. The Winters are gentle in the day when the sun is shining but can be cold in the mornings and evenings. In December and January the nights can be very cold. There are electric radiators in the main rooms to fight the winter and a fireplace in one of the bedrooms too. It must be noted that due to the Moroccan design of houses there is an internal courtyard that is open to the sky and therefore the heating is not like in centrally heated properties In the UK! If you are adverse to some chill then December and January are best avoided although the house is very cosy.

The night skies can be stunning, with very little light pollution. Shooting stars are a regular occurrence!

The house is perfect for those who want to experience a different side to Morocco without being isolated, and for those who love to wander in nature and admire a centuries old social and agricultural landscape. It is an ideal base to explore the varied surroundings and to combine it with a stay in Marrakech or Taroundant.

About Peter Shayne

I am an art dealer based in London.

Peter Shayne purchased this house in 2003

Why Peter Shayne chose Marrakech & High Atlas Mountains

I have owned property in Morocco since 1992, starting off on the coast in Essaouira, venturing south of that for a while, finally settling for the High Atlas in Ouirgane in 2003, a wonderful spot not far from Marrakech and on the edge of a stunning national park. The earth here allows for lush growth and the views are beautiful whichever way you look, the climate too is wonderful most of the year.

What makes this house unique

A unique offering in the Atlas Mountains!

Peace of mind when checking out through HomeAway

We'll back you with our Book with Confidence Guarantee™

You'll get comprehensive payment protection when checking out on our website

Wonderful!4.8/5 -

(17 traveler reviews)

Very pleasant stay

Small Berber home accessed via a path and shared gate. Vibrantly decorated, which makes it feel very cheerful. Moroccan-style furniture - low tables, no sofa, and no seating on the terrace apart from a 'poof' and a low stool. We didn't find it that comfortable, but there are plenty of cushions, so you can improvise to make it a bit more bearable. The garden isn't private - it is next to a shared path that is used to access adjoining cottages. The terrace is also (potentially) overlooked - although there was no one else around when we stayed. I certainly wouldn't have been comfortable sunbathing if there had been more people about. The rooms are rather basic, and quite dark - this may have been a factor of the time of year (we visited in mid-October). There is no sink in the bathroom - meaning you had to use the sink in the kitchen after you used the toilet, so not ideal for those who are very particular, and although the shower looks very basic, the water pressure was good and the water was hot!

We had a car, and we able to explore the local area for some great walks. The area is very quiet, and there is very little traffic on the road, and driving is straightforward and relatively safe.

The saving grace for this property is the food and service provided by Mohammed and is lovely wife. We opted for breakfast and dinner on most days. Breakfast consisted berber coffee (highly perfumed, strong, but pleasant), plenty of homemade Moroccan bread, and homemade jam. Dinner was a tagine with meat (chicken or goat), vegetables and more of the bread. The food was simple, tasty and filling, although the portions weren't huge - there was always enough.

Submitted: Nov 12, 2015

Stayed: Oct 2015

Source: HomeAway

Owner's Response: Dear Traveller,
Thank you for taking the time to write your review.
I'm sorry you felt that the terrace was uncomfortable, I will make sure that more large cushions and rugs are available for people to use up there, this is the style of the seating in Morocco and I like to keep it in the vernacular style. In regards to privacy, a large part of the terrace is totally private, however I will make sure that the bamboo fencing is in place, as we carried out works on the roof in the summer and perhaps my house manager had not replaced this fully.
The garden however is TOTALLY private, it is not overlooked and is NOT a public path, this I have to make absolutely clear. What you may have noticed is my house manager's family using the path to get to the garage and adjoining piece of land. I have no problem with this at all and it is rare that they use it when guests are staying. I will however point out that you found this bothersome.
The shower is a straightforward hand held one, last time I was there in May it was perfectly fine, but I will check that it is replaced if it is looking tired. The shower area is a sort of wet room with plenty of water on hand and therefore a sink is not really necessary, however I will look into putting one in now that you mention it! The windows are all original and being an earth built house, they tend to be small to keep the warmth in in winter and keep out the heat in summer. There is plenty of lighting for reading and dressing etc. Most times of the year, the house's internal patio is flooded with light, which penetrates the rooms through the doors to this patio.
What is very important to note is that this is an authentic Berber house, in a very mature and unspoiled setting, it is not a 'villa' on the outskirts of Marrakech.
What I find slightly disheartening is that you also had to criticise the portions of food, which quite frankly is totally uncalled for. The portions are very copious for most people, and the prices for the meals very low. In any case, although there is always room for improvement, one must bear in mind that this is not a chi chi riad but an extremely stylish bohemian bolt hole and a very rare offering. It does not however fall in the luxury category, and this is very much reflected in the price! The pictures on the property's site are very clear and the house looks exactly like those pictures, but perhaps your expectations were somewhat different, for which I can only apologise. All the very best, Peter

A total gem

When we were searching for holiday accomodation in the area of Marrakech we kept finding ourselves returning to the prospect of the private and shaded gardens featured at Maison Shayne.

We wondered if the location might be limiting but so glad we took the chance. Perfectly in between many options of things to do and ideally located for the days doing nothing at all or exploring local life, the olive groves or surrounds.

Mohammed and his family looked after us splendidly with fresh local produce, superbly prepared.

We chose not to hire a car but instead were able to enjoy the experience as passengers and take in the views.

Maison Shayne has a wonderful character and everything we needed to immerse ourselves in our first visit to Morocco.We arrived as guests and left feeling very much as if we were leaving new friends behind.

Zing!

Peter's house lies below the olive groves in Ouirgane. 4 of us stayed here in early February. A great time to be in the Atlas, warm walks in the day - up through the almond trees, rivers, and higher!

The neighbour Mohammad and his wife Khadija who cooks the finest tagines. He is lovely, would come and light our fire in the evenings.The house is really comfortable and very private. The layout is great, and the colours - its like being in a painting. It's right next to the Rosaire hotel for wine, internet access and horses. Great riding across the salt flats and onwards.

1 week in Wirgane

Beautiful house set just below the olive groves. Rooms set up round the courtyard with a bright flat roof terrace that overlooks the dam. Afternoons spent walking through the trees; red soil with cacti leading up to almond trees and rivers, onto scrub and up to snow. Hotel Rosarie is nearby, great for riding, take a barb horse across the salt flats. We were well looked after by Muhammad and family, delicious cooking. Highly recommended!

Wonderful house in beautiful setting

We stayed in this wonderful house for a week and enjoyed it immensely. It was very difficult to leave as we could have easily stayed on longer!

The charming mud brick house was very comfortable with everything we required provided for us. The house was immaculately kept, clean and colourful. A roof top terrace afforded views of the lake and mountains as well as a peaceful spot for sun lounging and reading. There are two swimming pools nearby where you can also dine so we definitely took took advantage of them! One had stunning views of the mountains and the other had beautiful gardens as well as views. The house itself has a lush garden where we often ate breakfast or had tea and homemade biscuits.

The food provided was excellent and served by the friendly neighbour who also has a vast amount of knowledge about the local area. He arranged a few day trips for us to see local sights and views. The area is truly stunning and unlike anything I had seen before.

Map

Nearest Airport

60
Kilometres

Marrakech

Nearest Train

62
Kilometres

Marrakech

Nearest Beach

220
Kilometres

Essaouira

Car: not necessary

Adorable and amazingly charming Berber house in heart of famous village on one of the most scenic roads in Morocco. One hour from Marrakech, Ouirgane lies on the road to Taroudant via the Tizn Test mountain pass which is 1.5 hours further up. Ouirgane is on the edge of the magnificent Toubkal National Park and lies within an area of outstanding natural beauty.

A perfect base for simply relaxing, trekking or horse riding in stunning landscapes surrounded by the Atlas mountains. Explore the groves of olives, almonds, pomegranates and figs in this friendly and civilised village that is a million miles from the hustle and bustle of Marrakech.

Explore the famous Asni Saturday souk that is only twenty minutes away, or the Tin Mal mosque, one of the most splendid in Morocco, an hour away by car. Gaze at the stars from this delicious retreat. Home to some renowned hotels to include La Roseraie, with its splendid gardens, and the popular Chez Momo all offer bars and restaurants, some offer swimming opportunities in lovely settings.

Additional information about rental rates

Changeover cleaning fee

$13

A reservation fee of 50% at time of booking, this is non-refundable unless a cancellation is received 2 calendar months before the booking is due to commence. If a cancellation has to be made an administration charge of 30% of the total rental is then applied.

* Approximate monthly rate. Actual rate will depend on the days of the month you stay.

Bedroom 1 with double bed. Bedroom 2 with double bed. Green Salon with single bed option (doubling as sofa). A further single bed is available to place in one of the rooms.

Entertainment:

Books

Stereo

Outside:

Deck / Patio ...

Lawn / Garden ...

Patio

Terrace

10 garden chairs

Suitability:

Long-term Renters Welcome

children welcome

pets not allowed

smoking allowed

wheelchair inaccessible

Onsite Services:

Chauffeur

Housekeeper

Attractions:

restaurants

ruins

waterfalls

Leisure Activities:

bird watching

horseback riding

scenic drives

sight seeing

walking

Local Services & Businesses:

ATM/bank

groceries

Sports & Adventure Activities:

hiking

mountain climbing

mountaineering

swimming

Notes:

Indoor salon and outdoor salon (more seating) in enclosed patio. Jasmine covered pergola in garden with mature olive trees, citrus trees and many others. Suitable for supervised children. The surroundings are rustic and care should be taken in general, in the house too. Generally not accessible to wheelchairs since the village paths are rustic although access to the house is not too difficult. The owner accepts no responsibility for injuries that may occur on or off the property. There are efficient electric heaters for colder nights as well as a fireplace in one of the bedrooms. Pretty Moroccan style kitchen with fireplace and small garden. Delicious home delivered food is available from my neighbours at exceptional prices. Tagines of all sorts can be prepared as well as couscous. Freshly baked bread daily, local honey and seasonal fruit, nuts and vegetables, all organically grown, can be supplied. Linen included and some towels, please bring bath towels and toiletries.